Compatibility of Gelled and Emulsified Fuels with Jet Transport Aircraft

The use of fuels thickened by gelation or emulsification has been proposed for reducing the hazards of fuel fires caused by aircraft crashes. This investigation was conducted primarily under a contract issued by the Federal Aviation Administration to determine the feasibility of utilizing gelled or emulsified fuels in a four-engine jet transport fuel system. A comparative screening of the rheological and physical properties of several modified fuels resulted in a selection of the most promising candidates for further study. A partial DC-8 (Model 62) aircraft fuel system was used in the test program to provide data for system analysis using the selected fuels. Results of the test program indicated that an unmodified commercial jet aircraft fuel system cannot effectively utilize the gelled and emulsified fuels examined.